I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a device for automatically detecting a low level oil condition for an engine.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Internal combustion engines of the type employed in vehicles include a crank case which forms an oil reservoir in which the engine oil is contained. The oil level must be maintained at a predetermined level within the reservoir in order to insure sufficient oil feed to the lubrication system and avoid excessive mechanical wear to the engine resulting from inadequate lubrication.
In order to check the oil level within the crank case, many engines have a dip stick guide tube which is open at its lower end to the crank case and extends upwardly along a side of the engine. A flexible dip stick is inserted into this guide tube so that the lower end of the dip stick is positioned within the oil reservoir. Thus, upon removal of the dip stick from the guide tube, the oil level within the crank case can be determined by examining the dip stick.
One disadvantage of using the dip stick to check the oil level within the crank case is that the level can only be periodically checked by the operator and cannot be checked at all during the operation of the engine. Self Service gas stations are becoming the norm and checking the oil level by removing the dip stick is an inconvenient and messy operation and thus avoided by many persons.
Many engines, such as those used on automotive vehicles, provide a warning indicator for the driver when the oil pressure falls below a predetermined amount. The oil pressure, however, can remain high despite a low oil level condition for the engine. Consequently, even though the oil pressure for the engine is adequate, the oil level is not and such a condition can result in rapid deterioration of the oil pressure which very quickly results in damage and/or erosion of the engine components and very costly repairs.